The Tampa Bay Rays are still in the AL Wild Card race. With the season winding down, every game is a big game, particularly against the teams like the Toronto Blue Jays who are wallowing in the cellar of the AL East. The Rays have a great pitching staff and plenty of power on offense that will be on display in this series north of the border. The season series between these two teams is split through the first 12 games.
This series will be contested from Monday, August 14, 2017 through Thursday, August 17, 2017 at the Rogers Centre in Toronto.
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Pitching Matchups
The series kicks off on Monday with Nick Tepesch on the mound for the Jays. Tampa Bay hopes Jake Odorizzi will make the start for them after being nailed on the foot in his last outing.
Provided Odorizzi is good to go, he’s the superior pitcher. He has struggled this year compared to years past. He’s 6-5 with a 4.38 ERA and a 5.65 FIP. His walks are up and his strikeouts are down. He’s also allowed 23 home runs in just 98.2 innings. That’s been the biggest issue this season.
In his last outing, he lasted just four innings against the Red Sox before suffering his foot injury. He did, however, give up just two runs—one earned—on four hits. He also didn’t allow a homer for the first time since April 15.
Before that, however, he had allowed six homers in his last four games and given up 14 runs in 20.1 innings pitched. In his last start against the Jays, he lasted 4.1 innings, giving up five runs.
While Odorizzi has his issues, he’s a proven big league starter. Tepesch has been a journeyman since breaking into the big leagues with Texas. He’s a career 4.79 ERA pitcher and has made two starts in the Majors this year, one for the Twins and one for the Jays. In his start for Toronto, he lasted just 4.1 innings and gave up five runs and three homers. We could see a lot of longballs on Monday from both sides.
As the series progresses, the Blue Jays will turn to a few more talented hurlers, beginning on Tuesday with Marco Estrada taking the hill.
The right-hander had a down year until recently when he notched his third straight game with at least seven innings pitched. Estrada has always been a fly ball pitcher and that’s dangerous in Toronto. He, however, has seen that contact get much weaker in those last three games.
On the year, Estrada is only 5-7 with a 4.85 ERA in 135.1 innings. Over those last three starts, however, he’s allowed four runs in 21 innings and struck out 18 and allowed 14 hits. His last time out, he went seven scoreless against the Yankees.
Estrada did struggle in his last start against the Rays, allowing six runs and 12 hits in 3.1 innings back on June 13.
Tampa Bay will counter Estrada with the rookie Blake Snell. The southpaw has electric stuff, but struggled early in the year. His trip to the minors seems to have helped. His last start was his best. He limited the Indians to one run in 6.1 innings.
Another rookie takes the hill for the Rays on Wednesday. Jacob Faria will get that start. He’s had a better year than Snell. He’s 5-3 with a 3.19 ERA and 1.173 WHIP in 73.1 innings. His season has been great, but his last start was mediocre. He went six innings, allowing five runs. It was his second straight loss.
Marcus Stroman takes the mound for the Jays in that game. He’s 10-6 with a 3.00 ERA and leads Toronto in innings, wins and ERA. He went eight innings in his last start and has been the one stable piece of this rotation all year.
The series wraps on Thursday with Chris Archer and Chris Rowley going head-to-head. This is the biggest mismatch in of the entire rotation. Archer is a consistent arm. He’s not going to shut you out, but he will give you a quality outing. He’s pitched a 2.57 ERA in three starts against the Jays.
Rowley will be making his second career start. His debut was awesome. He went 5.1 innings and was very efficient in processes. He should get more than 75 pitches on Thursday.
Offensive Comparison.
Strikeouts and home runs are the story of the Rays offense. Steven Souza Jr. is one that’s delivered both recently. Since the break, he’s slammed eight homers and is 20-for-88 with 15 walks. In the second half, he’s posted a .875 OPS.
It’s certainly been a team of all-or-nothing. Lately, it’s been more of the nothing than the all for the Rays. Tampa Bay has a .639 OPS in the second-half
The addition of Lucas Duda to the mix adds more of the same type of player to the Tampa Bay lineup. Mallex Smith is one of the few players for the Rays that break the mold.
On the other side, the Blue Jays offense has disappointed all season. They’ve out-produced the Rays—like everyone else—but haven’t been a great offense since the break.
With Russell Martin, Devon Travis and Troy Tulowtizki all out of commission, the team is quite weak up the middle.
Bullpen Breakdown
Both the Rays and Jays have great young closers in Alex Colome and Roberto Osuna, respectively.
Tampa Bay has the better depth leading up to the closer, however.
The Rays added Steve Cishek and Dan Jennings at the deadline and while Jennings start to his Rays career has been bumpy, the additions add depth. The Jays dealt away Joe Smith.
With Cishek in the fold, Tampa Bay now has four former closers setting up for Colome with Brad Boxberger, Sergio Romo, Tommy Hunter and Cishek.
Some of those former closers had questionable runs in the ninth inning, but the fact they pitched the final outs shows they have quality stuff.
As for Hunter, he’s been a god-send for this pen. He’s posted a 1.58 ERA in 40 frames.
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